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FS Cogta mum on latest Brandfort water cuts

───   OLEBOGENG MOTSE 10:46 Sun, 13 Oct 2019

FS Cogta mum on latest Brandfort water cuts | News Article

The Free State Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) is mum on the frustration of residents in parts of Brandfort over the latest round of water cuts.


The OFM News team has received repeated calls from an anonymous and frustrated Brandfort caller since late September 2019 regarding the state of the town. Brandfort which falls under the financially strained Masilonyana Local Municipality has been experiencing water interruptions for years, with no permanent solution in sight. The municipality is currently under administration, along with Mafube and Maluti-A-Phofung Local Municipalities.

The OFM News team has since 28 September 2019, been trying to get comment on the current situation from both Masilonyana and Cogta regarding the allegations from exasperated residents alleging the town has been without water consistently now for nearly two months. To date, there has been no response on the matter.

In Masilonyana’s defence, the municipality did release a statement on September 24 via its Facebook page informing residents of imminent water interruptions. In the statement the municipality attributes the lack of water “to a burst Bulk Raw Water Pipeline which supplies the Water Treatment Plant. No water pumping to the community is taking place as the Raw Water Storage Dam is empty. We are currently attending to the problem and water supply will be restored as soon as possible”. The municipality concludes the brief statement by apologising to residents.

The dire situation in Brandfort came to prominence in April 2018, following the death of iconic anti-apartheid activist, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. During memorial services held by the ANC in the province and the EFF, residents were discovered to be in the midst of two-week water interruptions to much outrage. Following the services, the town descended into chaos as violent protests erupted over the lack of water. Madikizela-Mandela was banished to the Free State town in the 1970s and placed in the home located in Majwemasweu township that did not have running water or electricity.

This is a developing story.

 

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